Overview & Reviews

There are affordable cars, and then there are cars that offer thrilling performance. Rarely do the two ever converge, but Japanese automaker Mazda has made it a tradition of coming up with vehicles that combine both of these eminently desirable traits.

The Toyo Cork Kogyo Company, founded in 1920 in Hiroshima, Japan, used the name "Mazda" for its first three-wheeled truck, built in 1931. Company founder Jujiro Matsuda chose the word "Mazda" because it was the name of the Zoroastrian god of good and light. Work on a small sedan began in the late 1930s, but development was halted so the company could pitch in with Japan's war effort. In the wake of World War II and the rebuilding that followed, the company refocused its efforts on car development and manufacturing.

By 1960, the first Mazda automobile -- the R360 coupe -- was developed, and the company's foray into the production of passenger vehicles began in full force. Other landmark developments were soon to follow. In 1961, the company entered into a technical partnership with NSU and Wankel to develop and produce rotary engines, a union that led to Mazda's distinguishing itself as the only manufacturer to offer three engine configurations: conventional gasoline piston, diesel and rotary. The '60s also saw the introduction of the company's first pickup, the B-Series 1500, as well as its first rotary-engine vehicle, the 110S Cosmo Sport.

Mazda began selling cars in the U.S. in 1970. In the early part of the decade, the automaker rolled out the RX-2. Powered by the noted 12A rotary, the RX-2 introduced America to Mazda's effort to build cars that were affordable and fun to drive. The decade also saw the introduction of the RX-3, RX-4 and now iconic rotary-powered RX-7 sports car. In 1979, Ford Motor Company purchased a 25 percent stake in Mazda after the Japanese company encountered a number of financial difficulties.

The 1980s was a decade of rebirth for Mazda. The company officially took on the Mazda name (though all its vehicles since its launch in the '20s have carried that brand). It also witnessed an upswing in sales sparked by successful new products like the 323 (which was first called the GLC in the American market) and 626. The 1990 model year saw the launch of a car that would prove a huge hit for Mazda: the MX-5 Miata. Lauded for its ultra-responsive handling and affordability, the drop top has been a consistent favorite, and now holds the distinction of being the world's best-selling roadster.

Mazda began the 1990s with a bang by winning Le Mans with the 787B; it was the first time a Japanese automaker had won the prestigious race, and marked the only win for a rotary engine. Vehicles like the RX-7 and MX-5 Miata scored kudos from automotive journalists, and landed on many top 10 lists. However, save for the Miata, the company's vehicles experienced declining sales in the U.S., and the company's fortunes suffered as a result.

The new millennium has seen Mazda regain its stride, as the automaker has invested in new development. Models like the Mazda 2 and CX-9 have broadened the lineup and won over a whole new generation of fans, while the enthusiast-oriented RX-8 and Mazdaspeed performance models have exemplified the company's spirited philosophy. Most recently, Mazda has focused on designing its cars to be as fuel-efficient as possible while also still being fun to drive and affordable to own.

User Reviews:

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  Best bargain - 2003 Mazda Protege5
  By chezbo - January 15 - 2:00 am

  Perfect city and commuting car, also great for trips. Holds substantial amount of stuff and as they say, it is fun to drive.

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  looks fast goes slow - 2004 Mazda RX-8
  By lq400 - January 15 - 2:00 am

  Like in my other reviews looks good Handled great Int/Ext great, But you red line before your peek HP. Need to add oil every other fill up Rotarys I dont get them.

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  Zoom Zoom, Indeed - 2007 Mazda CX-7
  By megc1000 - January 12 - 7:43 am

  I love my car!! I almost wish my commute to work was longer because its so fun to drive. I love the fact that their arent too many others like mine on the road. Mazda does an awesome job - Ive owned both a 323 hatchback (which I drove for 12 years with no problems) and a Tribute, and know that my next car will also be a Mazda.

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  What a lemon!!! - 2004 Mazda Mazda3
  By Joseph Roy - January 10 - 11:33 am

  Aside from the excellent engine and nice features, the problems I have had outweigh the positives by a lot. In the winter when it was really cold, the heater only marginally works, now in the summer I find that the A/C is only mediocre as well. After bringing it to the dealership multiple times, they insist that it is fine and within the normal range. And after only 10,000 miles they had to replace the transmission. I had it in for two oil changes previous to this and they never realized that transmission fluid was low. When they took the transmission out the fluid was almost gone and it was burnt. Thank god for warranties.

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  Pretty good overall - 2004 Mazda Mazda3
  By Holly Casey - January 10 - 10:00 am

  I drove the Toyota Prius, Matrix, and Subaru Outback. This car had the least number of design flaws. Many great features available at a reasonable price. Seats are too hard. I love the telescoping steering wheel and the controls on the steering wheel. Lots of storage - you should see the glove box! The looks are great. People tell me how cool it looks.

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  Great Midsize Value - 2004 Mazda Mazda6
  By frogmanhenry - January 10 - 10:00 am

  This car has certainly impressed me with its level of refinement for paying just a little more than $18,000 with 0% interest. The chasis and suspension are superb, making highway cruising quite and comfortable and back road twisties a real joy. The clutch and shifter work well, although there is a little too much clutch travel for my liking. Fit and finish seem to be excellent inside and out. The new for 2004 2.3L 4 cyl. engine is smooth, responsive, and turns in respectable gas milage (29-30 mpg mixed driving) I opted for the sport package in sepang green with Bose audio system.

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  Trouble from the start - 2004 Mazda RX-8
  By fracol4125 - January 5 - 10:00 am

  I bought the Mazda RX-8 several weeks ago. In just under 2 weeks and less than 600 miles the car broke down. It will not move out of second gear. The dealer has had the car over 6 days and cannot figure out what the problem is. I love the car but if this an indication of the reliability of the car I think Mazda is going to have a real dog on its hand. The fact that Mazda has been unable to determine the problem in over 6 days does not give me a comfort that this is a simple defect.

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  Love the style but maintenance is the killer - 2006 Mazda Mazda6
  By JSPEED6 - January 3 - 5:26 am

  I bought mine back in May 06. I loved the styling and functionality of the hatchback without looking like one. My only complaint from the start was the lack of engine pickup. Its nice to have a smooth riding car but it has no oomf. Im only at 25k miles and brought it in for inspection to find that I needed new rear brakes and rotors...already? The new rotors rust up often like the old ones so I dont anticipate any longer wear. Also my check engine light was on due to a faulty O2 sensor that they were going to replace but got a new "procedure" to reset and see if it happens again....it did and I had to drop off for a couple days all over again. Be prepared to spend the maintenance dollars.

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  Just what I wanted - 2012 Mazda MazdaSpeed3
  By rockinkuwait - January 1 - 4:22 am

  I wanted a used Speed3, but ended up going new as there were only 2 used pre-owned Mazdaspeed3s in the state when I started car shopping. It has been everything Ive wanted. Currently commuting to work and it even does that well (avg 28 mpg, and most is a little two lane highway where I have the power to pass in this). Lots of fun, no problems at all mechanically so far and 40 thousand miles into the car, I still smile every time I drive it. Only issue I had was wishing you could pick something other than summer only tires if you live in colorado, though I did manage on those through two winters...

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  Excellent Choice - 2010 Mazda CX-9
  By undrgnd40 - December 31 - 2:00 am

  This is an incredibly good choice for our family. The CX-9 looks great, its fun to drive and built solidly. My older kids can ride in the 3rd row seat comfortably. Handles like a sporty sedan. Hands down, way more enjoyable to own than a minivan. Very good brakes. Plenty of nice features for being the "base" model.